Avishay Ben Sasson-Gordis

A protracted war or a freeze in the campaign: What options are available to the US president in the Iranian arena, what might influence his decision—and how should Israel prepare?

This interactive map highlights the deployment of U.S. military assets and other relevant actors in the region. The current U.S. posture signals deterrence and readiness for offensive military operations, while reflecting a strong preference to avoid a protracted conflict. Combined with intensified ISR activity and diplomatic signaling, this configuration supports coercive diplomacy but also increases the risk of escalation through miscalculation in an already volatile theater. The map is updated regularly and as accurately as possible, based on open-source intelligence assessments and media reporting.

What are the implications of a change in the framework of direct US aid to Israel?

The options available to the US administration in dealing with Tehran, Iran’s possible responses to these measures—and the implications for Israel

Israel must prepare for a reality where support is a controversial issue in both parties in Congress

Israeli public discourse following October 7 has focused on the false “conceptions” that blinded us to the possibility that reality could develop as it did. The surprise caused to Israel by Hamas’ attack deeply undermined Israelis’ confidence in security professionals and, one would hope, those professionals’ confidence in themselves. More broadly, this should lead members of the security community to ask fundamental questions about their understanding of the world around us. Two of these questions are: “Where did I go wrong?” and “In which cases have I changed my mind?” Recently, but before Operation Rising Lion, we held a discussion on a social media network that addressed the question “What were you mistaken about in the past two years?” The discussion’s participants, many of whom have relevant military or civilian research backgrounds, provided meaningful answers that could help us clarify the changes that have occurred in the way we perceive reality. This article touches on the key points of that discussion